Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-16

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with you" lie continued in anger, as
she followed the retreating pair calling
down blessings upon the head of the
golden-crowncd lady.
Then thu girl of the street staggered
away, aud the little ones resumed their
sports and the pollution vanished from
Paramount
CalVornia, E1gAtee1o Ksuad1'ed and
Fitty.
In rude shantv, devoted to the sale
of poisonous liquors, young man is
awaiting the mail coach. He is sur
rounded by desperate characters and
recognizes faces that have been haunt
ing him for several days past. That
young man is Charles Borden.
Two years before he had visited,
upon his bridal tour, the city of
Philadelphia, and at Paramount
Park his young wife had bent
in pity and tenderness over an
abandoned creature who had attempted
suicide. He had rebukcd her kindly
impulses and hurried away from the
contamination. A crisis in business
had swept away his wealth aud, leav-
ing the gentle Helen with her parents,
he sought the land Of gold to gain once
more the wherewithall to live For
months he was unsuccessful Fortune
flung great heaps of yellow riches into
hands that quickly squandered them,
and to him denied all success save suf-
ticient to provide his scantv food. But
once, prompted by the noble spirit OF
his wife, he befriendel and nursed an
old miner, sick unto death, who, with
his last breath, bequeathcd to him his
gains of years, and now, with the rep
rescntatives of alfiucnce upon his per-
son, he was waiting for the stage that
was to convey him the first portion
of his return road to Helen and home.
He sallntered to the door and looked
out upon the night; through blackness
came hand it was laid upon his.
Hush" voice whispered, "don't
look round, listen. You have been
tracked from the assay Office; get out
of here and strike the trail ten or
twenty miles below, and take the coach
there. 1t will be stopped after it leaves
here, jor yo2t. Don't answer, CO."
and he saw dim figure vanish.
The warning accorded we'll with his
own feelings; quietly he slipped away
and struggled over the untraveled,
rough country in the direction of the
trail ahead
The stage arrived at the station, but
the passenger who had been waiting
for it could not be found; certain per-
sons in the hut cursed long and loud
after the coach had departed, then
mounted and rode rost-haste through
the night
Day had dawned; eighteen miles
from the station a foot-sore man was
lying behind few scanty sage brush
by the trail.
"The stage, the stage!" he muttered.
"Will it never come, or has it already
passed? I can go no further, i am
famished with hunger and thirst. Will
the stage never comet"
He strains his ewes eyes, there is a
cloud of dust far up the road. 1t must
1,o c{o 7 81, IL
more"
He hears noise behind him; three
mounted men are riding furiously i'll
his direction. He turns and faces
them; we'll he knows their object. But
he is no craven.
Crack and carbine bullet whistles
past his head; quickly his revolver re-
turns answer, and the robber drops
from his saddle. One of his COM
panions halts, and tile other circles
about the hunted man.
The stage is rapidly drawing near;
will it come in time? He turns to face
the second foe, watching, as does the
rapid riding bandit, for chance to do
good execution. He can hear the hoofs
of the stage horses NOW. The robber
raises his rifle; the pursued is stag
gered by form which ruslles against
him. There is a shot, a cry; but, he is
uninjured What is this in his arms
A woman's sinking form.
The stage has arrived and stopped
opposite to where Charles Borden is
kneeling over PROSTATE body. The
passengers sworn about them, the rob-
bers have Disappeared bearing with
them their wounded companion.
A wan, ragged woman is stretched
upon the ground, shot through the
body. She sees no one but the man
whose face is close to her own. Slowly
and painfully she moves her hand and
hunts within the bosom of her tattered
gown. What is this she brings forth
and holds before her fast glazing eyes ?
A little glove.
"See," she murmures with her pallid
lips, "See It's here. You don't know
me, but I remember you. You forget;